There is something about being the victim of bureaucratic stuff-up that brings on a sense of degradation and then: embarrassment. The sense of being dehumanised.

I thought I had personal care time today, and had been pondering my options. I'm not physically great, so my practical self was thinking that Olivia(not her real name) could do some dishes and then help with cleaning the fishtanks. Then she could help with the physical labour involved in cutting some heavy curtain fabric. Or I could be a bit devil-may-care and venture out to Spotlight to buy some beading bits and pieces (for I wish to fix some necklaces. I know nothing about beading so I'd been reading up and making lists) and to look at the other bits of curtain material that I'd been contemplating. I also noticed that a sale was on, which includes a light filtering curtain with an Eiffel Tower on it, and gleefully decided it was worth a look.

The option of buying online exists, but it denies the ability to ponder, feel and look properly at things. It also fails in that I am a person who needs a bit of social interaction and loves to go on excursions. My mental health suffers when it's just me. It's also why, incidentally, I want a home carer to do the vacuuming rather than a roomba.

~~~

About a month ago, I made a couple of calls to the council to change the day I get this care. Everything got sorted, apparently.

When I started to wonder where Olivia was, I rang the council to check.

Nothing is scheduled for today. Nor is anything scheduled for a fortnight from now, which is when it would next happen. The computer still has the old day listed.

I was told this, asked who I spoke to (why the hell do I even need to remember that?) and advised that the worker could put the request through, but it would need to be approved.

This isn't good enough. Either the two original requests didn't get through or didn't get approved and no one told me, or the system has fucked up. The mere fact of doing it again, with no comment, as though it had never been done before is not good customer service.

This came with a statement that it's not in the system and another request to know who I'd spoken to, and another explanation from me that I couldn't remember. There's the impicit suggestion here that I might not have had those conversations. It errs on the side of me being at fault. It errs on the side of those who've made the error not having to make good on their mistake.

I had to request, three times, that the request to the rostering staff also include the information that this matter was discussed about a month ago. Twice. And that the changes had been confirmed. And no, I couldn't remember who I spoke to, but that I spoke to two people. And that even though there's no record of this, I nonetheless did have conversations with two people.

The worker sort of did this. She mumbled something about including a note about prior contact. She clearly wanted to get me off the phone and I'm not convinced she did do that.

At this point, a good system would prioritise this. Apologise and hop to. Not leave me back at square one as though those interactions had not occurred. And not put me in a position where I feel defensive enough that I will be keeping a paper trail from now on.

~~~

And isn't it interesting that my first paragraphs here were about why I want this care in the first place? It's necessary to preempt inappropriate advice.

An important personal service was not provided, I was put on the back foot when I enquired, and the best I got was to be put back at square one. Maybe, just maybe, it will be noted that there's been a stuff up. Or that the client says there's been a stuff up (big difference). But no one will take responsibility for that.

Oh Lord...that is so unnecessary. It's fairly easy these days to re-arrange things like that from the bureaucratic end and I'm just sorry you have to put up with that sort of mess when you had looked forward to being able to get a few things done.